The Review - MUSIC - grooves with ROISIN GADELRAB Published: 6 November 2008
Charlotte Mobbs
Concerts celebrating Vaughan Williams’ genius
PREVIEW: FINCHLEY CHORAL SOCIETY
Hampstead garden suburb Free Church
LATER in the month, Finchley Choral Society will lead their own celebration of Vaughan Williams in an anniversary concert in the splendid Free Church, Hampstead Garden Suburb.
Vaughan Williams was arguably the greatest composer Britain had seen since the days of Henry Purcell. In a long and extensive career, he composed music notable for its power, nobility and expressiveness, representing, perhaps, the essence of “Englishness”.
Grace Rossiter returns to conduct the choir while her husband, Stephen Jeffes, a member of the BBC Singers, will be joining her as the tenor soloist. Other performers include mezzo-soprano Polly May and husband and wife team soprano Charlotte Mobbs and bass Eamonn Dougan. They will be joined by the superb organist Richard Harvey.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Vaughan Williams’ death. Finchley Choral Society will perform his Mass in G minor, a work which echoes Tudor England.
The rest of the concert will feature 20th-century English music by Gerald Finzi and Benjamin Britten, alongside organ works by Peter Maxwell Davies and Jonathan Harvey.
Finchley Choral Society was founded over 100 years ago to give local people the opportunity to take part in high quality music making.
• Vaughan Williams and the Music of England, a performance by the Finchley Choral Society, is at Hampstead Garden Suburn Free Church on Saturday November 15, 7.45pm. Tickets £13 (£1 children) on the FCS box office, 020 8346 9230
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